Solar scam accused Biju Radhakrishnan, mother guilty of Reshmi’s murder

Thiruvananthapuram: Kollam principal sessions judge Ashok Menon has held solar scam accused Biju Radhakrishnan and his mother Rajammal guilty of the murder of Biju’s wife Reshmi. The sentence will be pronounced on Friday. The court rejected a petition to arraign solar scam accused Saritha S. Nair in the case.

While Biju was found guilty under various sections of Indian Penal Code for murder, dowry harassment, assault, child abuse and destruction of evidence, Rajammal, 65, was held guilty of dowry harassment. The eyewitness account of Reshmi’s son, who was three years old at the time of the incident, was a crucial evidence in the case that came to limelight after the solar scam surfaced.

The court rejected the plea citing lack of evidence and suggested that a petition for further probe could be filed. As per the prosecution case, a key reason that prompted Biju to murder Reshmi was his desire to get married to Saritha. She is a witness in the case.

Reshmi was found dead in Biju's house at Kottarakara on February 3, 2006. Reshmi was forcibly given liquor by Biju after he physically tortured her. Later, she was dragged to the toilet and smothered to death, according to the prosecution.

Though it was initially considered as suicide, the Crime Branch which probed the case got crucial tip-off after Biju and Saritha were held by the Thiruvananthapuram city police in 2009 in a cheating case. During interrogation, Saritha gave indications regarding Biju's role in the murder.

Reshmi, who hailed from Kollam, had stayed as paying guest at Biju's house at Kulakkada in Kottarakkara to pursue her BEd course. During that time, she fell in love with the Biju.

They got married in 2001 against the wishes of Reshmi's parents. Later, Reshmi was harassed over dowry. In the meantime, Biju developed an affair with Saritha which prompted him to murder Reshmi, according to the investigation officers.